A Shot of Courage
by LadyWolvie82
Summary: Lightning is known to write amazing poetry but backs out every time Celes asks her to perform at her weekly open mic at The Spinning Edge. When she gets lost in her thoughts of how to propose to Fang, Celes finds a way to help Lightning ask the big question. Rated T for language and alcohol usage.


A/N: All characters are owned by Square Enix and I make no profit here. The poem here is original and I will confess that I have not played FF XIII but looked at YouTube videos and the FF XIII novellas and came to the conclusion of the Lightning and Fang pairing from that. I did play FF VI!I also incorporated memories from Open Mic gigs I did in recent years here, which contributed to the T rating as almost every venue an Open Mic has will involve alcohol. It's a one shot as I will NOT have the time to make it into a full story. All reviews are welcome. Enjoy!

 ** _A Shot of Courage_**

Lightning looks at her watch for the umpteenth time in as many minutes, waiting for her shift as a security officer at the Library of Ancient History to end. With the small black box in her pocket, she was thinking of the perfect time and place to propose to her girlfriend of two years, Oerba Yun Fang. Just thinking of Fang made Lightning's heart race while putting a smile to her face. On this day, Lightning was too into her thoughts of Fang that she didn't see Celes, one of the librarians who works there, approach her. "Hey Lightning! Still thinking of when and how to propose to Fang, eh?" Celes teasingly asks her, making Light blush to where the blush matched her pink hair.

"Damn it, Celes! A warning would be nice next time…" Lightning replies, embarrassed and flustered.

"I have the perfect way for you to propose to Fang…" Celes starts but is cut off by Light.

"Don't tell me…that Open Mic at The Spinning Edge, right?"

"C'mon Light, it'll be fun. You write amazing poetry. It would be fun to have people hear the stuff you write about. Locke and Lebreau will be tending bar, Fang's colleague Sabin is the bouncer…AND I convinced Serah, Fang and quite a few others we know to come tonight! What do you say, Light?"

"…I might as well go. Since you "conned" Serah to come, I guess I have no other choice."

"Excellent! I promise you won't regret it!"

XXX

The truth was, Lightning was debating on reading her own poems at an Open Mic for a while but always chickened out for one reason or another. Celes caught Light writing poems during a lunch break after Light and Fang started dating and was immediately awed that there are people who write poems. When she started her Open Mic at The Spinning Edge a little over a year ago, she always wanted Lightning to publicly read her poems there but Lightning always had an excuse or a million to not to read her poems to the public. With Celes getting family and friends of both Lightning and Fang to show up tonight, Lightning may have found the perfect way to propose to Fang...and no more excuses to shy away from reading her poems to the public.

With Celes, she had an amazing singing voice which was accompanied by Setzer on guitar. She was performing at Open Mics all over Eden for years, before Locke could secure a part of The Spinning Edge so that his wife can run her own Open Mic there on a weekly basis, which quickly became a hit with the patrons who go there. Lightning often found Celes' singing to be soothing because it reminded Light of her parents and Serah, especially after a long or difficult shift at the library. Lightning's family and friends, along with Fang, will hear the singing from Celes that Lightning would talk to them about for so long in the flesh. It is because of Lightning's poetry and Celes' singing that they were able to be friends as well as colleagues. Celes was grateful for her friendship with Lightning; it was the same in reverse.

XXX

Lightning gets home a short time later and is immediately greeted by Serah, who is holding her Mog plush. Serah, for reasons unknown, gives Lightning a hug to where she is gasping for air. "S-Serah…I-I need air…" Lightning said, barely able to get the words out.

"It's about damn time you perform at an Open Mic, sis!"

"Huh?! You knew of the poetry writing? And who exactly did Celes invite besides you and Fang?"

"Yep. You didn't think that I knew of your works?! Celes invited everyone…Snow, Vanille, Hope, Noel, Yeul, Terra, Leo, Edgar…and I'm bringing Mog with me. Cyan will be there too."

"Oh dear…she invited the oaf...fuck my life! I hope I don't fuck this up. It'll be my first time doing this anywhere."

Serah sees the worry and anxiety in Lightning's face and gives her another but a far less smothering hug. She comforts her older sister and reassures her that she'll be fine reading her poems, as she'll have family and friends there who love and support her.

XXX

A few hours pass and Lightning gets to The Spinning Edge 30 minutes before the sign-up list for Celes' Open Mic list is available. To help kill time before the sign-up list becomes available, she has a chat with Lebreau and Locke at the bar. The chat had inside jokes about Celes and Locke's relationship being unusual due to their differing lines of work as well as inside jokes about Lightning and Fang's relationship because they're women. Lightning orders three shots of the strongest alcohol available so that she can drink them throughout the night; just as the sign-up sheet is being passed around and Light is about to pay for the drinks before Locke tells her it's on the house as performers get one free drink and the other two were on him as he's grateful that Celes has a good friend in Lightning.

Lightning sees the sheet being offered to her by Celes, who was at The Spinning Edge 15 minutes before Lightning arrived. Lightning was hesitant with writing her name on the list which was halfway full. Celes sees the anxiety in Lightning's eyes and takes her outside to have a quick talk. "It's okay to be anxious before performing anywhere the first time. I was exactly like this before I got into the swing of things and became more confident."

"I just pray that I don't make myself look like a pompous ass when I read to whoever decides to show their face here…" Lightning started before Celes gives her a hug, cutting off the last of the thoughts the pinkette had of taking part in an Open Mic gig.

Lightning and Celes go back inside The Spinning Edge which Light writes her name on the list, making Celes smile, reminding the blonde for the umpteenth time why they were good friends in the first place.

XXX

The Open Mic starts off with Celes singing 3 songs with Setzer on guitar, which soothed Lightning as it always did when Celes sang at the library. To Lightning's surprise, everyone Celes invited showed up on time. Once the last song was done, Celes comes to the microphone to announce herself and the rules for the Open Mic:

"Happy Friday, everyone! I welcome you to the show…and before I forget, I'm Celes. This show will have new faces as well as the regulars so I need to remind everyone of the rules. This is a Round Robin style open mic, as participants will either sing one song or read one poem at a time. We usually go for three rounds, more if time allows. The order performers go is completely random – you might be first on the list but go last in the first round, and vice versa…so don't be surprised if you go sooner or later than expected. Although the performances will be on video, as well as audio for the podcast, you can record your own video if you don't want to wait until it's posted on YouTube and share it to your Facebook walls to your heart's content. Please keep in mind of the material you perform – although you're allowed to express your opinion on stuff there are people who will take to heart about certain subjects, and if you can't abide by that you'll be barred from performing here for a month. Repeat offenders will no longer be able to perform here. With that said, let's get the show started!"

Everyone applauds after the rules were explained...Lightning was given the surprise of her life when Fang takes the seat to her right; while Serah and Vanille sat in a row across from them, preparing their phones and cameras while giving instructions of their cameras to Leo, who raised Celes since she was a child, and Edgar, Terra's boyfriend and a close friend to Locke – Leo sat to Serah's right while Edgar sat behind Vanille as Hope sat to Vanille's left. Fang sees how nervous her girlfriend is and gives her a side hug for comfort. "Just remember ta breathe, Sunshine. I know you'll kick ass. I have faith in you", Fang whispers in her ear, followed by a tender kiss on her cheek.

Celes announces the first performer, Cyan, who is the owner of The Spinning Edge, much to everyone's surprise due to the order. His first poem, which was about his old life in Doma, brought tears to everyone's eyes. Even Lightning was taken aback by how well he did. Oddly enough...due to the random order of the show, Lightning was the next performer to go. Celes made a huge deal with introducing Lightning, as it was Light's first time performing, something that was a factor in how the Open Mic did so well in the time the blonde ran it. Just before she gets to the microphone, she takes the first shot of the alcohol to give her some courage to speak. She introduces herself and said that her first piece was for Celes, an ode of their friendship.

Celes couldn't help but cry once Lightning was finished with her first piece and came to the stage to give her a hug, whispering in her ear that the poem was such a beautiful piece. Once Celes lets go, she asks Lightning for a copy of that poem, which Lightning gives her the signature smirk with a "Maybe". This caused Celes to laugh, which made Locke laugh too, reminding him why he felt happy and secure with their friendship (even though he was at the bar, Locke was able to hear the pinkette's reply to his wife). The remainder of the performers in the first round, which included Noel, Yeul and Snow as a trio, performed solid poetry or music.

The second round starts, and this time around, Lightning was the first to go – Cyan only read one piece as it's custom for the owner to take part in the show. She took another shot as the anxiety didn't go away from the first round. Her second poem was for Serah, who made sure that damn Mog plush was with her. Although Serah didn't cry like Celes did, she had a smile that lit up the room. Everyone cheered once Lightning was done. Unlike Celes, Serah waited until the entire show was over before asking Lightning the same question Celes asked her.

The third round, however, Celes abruptly had Setzer get on stage so that she can sing a song of marriage and everlasting love, an original tune she used when she married Locke five years ago, it was actually Fang who was completely taken aback by this as she looked at Lightning with love and content in her eyes before subconsciously looking at the lump in her own pocket. Lightning was too into the song to even look at Fang although she placed her head on the brunette's shoulder, prompting Fang to place her cheek on top of Light's head.

Noel, Yeul and Snow did another solid number which gave Lightning the shot of courage she needed to propose to Fang. A few performances separated them from Lightning, who once again took a shot of the alcohol she was treated to. Celes announced Lightning to come to the stage, where Lightning had an announcement of her own to make to the public.

"This next piece is for my amazing girlfriend Oerba Yun Fang, who is here in the audience tonight. I would like for you to join me on stage for this one...please...", which Fang immediately and gleefully got up from her seat to join Lightning here. On cue, Vanille, Serah, Leo and Edgar had their respective recording equipment ready to film this performance. Fang looked at them with suspicion in her eyes and a smirk, as if they knew what Lightning was talking about. After a few moments, Lightning got the microphone off the stand as she made an affectionate ramble on how much Fang meant to her before announcing the title of her next piece, "With Faith…and Love". Lightning starts reading the piece to her:

 ** _With Faith...and Love_**

 ** _With faith I make the impossible possible..._**

 ** _my lone focus, with my love by my side,_**

 ** _there's nothing I cannot accomplish -_**

 ** _she is my equal, my queen, my everything._**

Fang was taken aback, eyes becoming watery although she showed her signature smile, the smile Lightning loved. Fang's look was a cue for her to continue.

 ** _Her love and ability to fight, that_** **_is_**

 ** _what_** **_makes me strong, even in despair..._**

 ** _I'm eternally grateful for her in my life,_**

 ** _for it is her essence that completes me._**

 ** _With love - I am unstoppable in body and soul -_**

 ** _even when we're apart she's in my heart,_**

 ** _and_** **_knowing that tells me to stay strong..._**

 ** _never let go; she brings out the best in me._**

"Are you asking what I think you're…" Fang starts, until she sees Light get down on one knee, opening the small black box she had for a while, with a ring inside.

 ** _Her passion and stubbornness; I can't get enough;_**

 ** _how she can make me feel I'll never know..._**

 ** _yet I don't care as she is human like me,_**

 ** _she_** ** _drives me to fight the good fight._**

 ** _With her faith in and love for me - I am whole..._**

 ** _I am complete, I don't want to ever be_**

 ** _without her - as I get down on one knee,_**

 ** _with_** **_this ring - Oerba Yun Fang, will you marry me?_**

Tears of happiness fall from Fang's face, taken back that Lightning proposed. Everyone in the audience outside Celes, Serah and Vanille – Locke knew about it too although he was tending the bar with Lebreau – had a shocked but gleeful look on their face. Lightning had the "I won the Lotto" look on her face but was in for a complete surprise when Fang got down on one knee and held out a box of her own with a ring inside. "Sunshine, you're in for a surprise…why did you steal my line, love?" Fang replied in her teasing manner but added her winning smile, something that made Lightning feel better whenever she had a shitty day. They share an embrace and Fang allowed her Sunshine put the ring on her finger just before putting the ring on Sunshine's finger.

Photos were taken and video of the marriage proposal was filmed, with Serah and Vanille getting the first photos of the rings before everyone else. Although Serah would eventually ask Lightning about the poem written for her on another day, she gave her a hug with "I'm so proud of you, sis".

"Great job with the poetry, sis…" Snow added, once Serah – and that damn Mog plush – was off of Lightning.

"I'm not your sister."

"Welcome to the family Light!" Vanille said as she ran to the older Farron to give her a hug.

When it was said, and done, Celes approaches the newly engaged pair and gives both Lightning and Fang a hug. Celes takes Lightning to the side to have a short but private chat. "All you needed was those who you care about to get you to read your poems out to the public. They were the shot of courage you needed to show us that you're not just a security officer at a fucking library."

"I guess I have you to thank for this, Celes. See you Monday."

Lightning and Fang go home and make love all night long to celebrate their engagement.

 **FIN**

A/N #2: If anyone is interested in what memory inspired which part of the tale, feel free to send me a PM - I'll be more than happy to share with you. I may or may not do a video on YouTube and/or Instagram to explain some Open Mic stuff I mentioned here. Before I forget, I'd like to thank two individuals for inspiring me to try my hand with this: **Azursa** for the e-mail exchanges and allowing me to take over as the beta-reader for her ongoing FLight tale " ** _There is no Stars on Cocoon_** ", and the awesome **Freestylesmile** for the FLight tales. Take care!


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